Chicago Botanic Garden
Are Global CO2 Levels Changing?
According to the Mauna Loa observatory, carbon dioxide levels increased by 3 ppm in our atmosphere between 2015–2016. Individuals analyze carbon dioxide data from around the world and then share this with a home group in lesson...
Curated OER
Water Cycle in a Box
Fourth graders investigate how the water cycle is vital for all living things to survive on Earth. They observe the teacher set up a simulation of the water cycle using a Plastic Earth Simulator, desk lamp, and water, and make...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students observe and discuss what happens when water turns to ice and when ice turns into water. In this freezing and melting lesson plan, students observe ice and water and complete hands on activities that change their properties.
Curated OER
2.0 "Water Is Life" Global Water Awareness Mini-Unit (Grades3-5)
Students study the amount of potable water on the Earth. In this water lesson, students examine the amount of potable water as compared to all the water on the Earth. They discuss why many parts of the world do not have access to good...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle--Model Simulation
Students build a model to simulate parts of the water cycle. They recognize and explain the essential elements of the water cycle.
Curated OER
"Water is Life" Global Water Awareness
Students examine and calculate the percentage of potable water remaining on the earth. In this ecology and geography instructional activity, students brainstorm the main factors affecting water distribution. Students use mathematical...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Young scholars perform experiments in pairs to visualize the changes in water during freezing and melting. In this properties of water lesson, students use their senses and inquiry tools to understand the changes in state of water....
Curated OER
Disappearing Water
Students explore the water cycle. In this earth science lesson, students observe and measure water in a closed container and in an open container. Students record their observations and compare their sets of data to draw conclusions...
Curated OER
The Water Nearby
Students explore water located near where they live. In this map skills maritime lesson, students use Google Maps to find their school and the body of water closest to them. Students research the body of water and answer questions about it.
American Chemical Society
Look-Alike Liquids
Here is the first of four experiments to differentiate among unknown liquids by their behaviors and properties. Pupils observe how different liquids respond to being placed on plastic and paper, and they take notes about their...
Exploratorium
Descartes' Diver
Pique interest in water pressure, demonstrate buoyancy, and explore water displacement concepts with a homemade Cartesian diver. You may want to change the name of the toy, however, as is is not documented the Rene Descartes...
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
Global Warming in a Jar
This well-organized lab activity introduces earth science pupils to the greenhouse effect. They will set up two experiments to monitor temperatures in an open jar, a closed jar, and a closed jar containing water. Ideally, you would have...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Exploring at the Nanoscale
Nano-nano! Nanotechnology can seem like it's from another planet! After learning about this tiny technology, collaborative groups experiment with how smaller particles affect chemical reactions. They do this by immersing a whole and a...
Curated OER
Fun with Surface Tension!
Students explore physical science by participating in a water properties experiment. In this surface tension lesson, students utilize pennies, water, a dropper and soapy water to test the different surface tensions with numerous objects....
Curated OER
States of Water
Students investigate the 3 states of matter. In this physical science "matter" lesson plan, students observe and participate in a number of demonstrations involving melting and freezing water. Students observe the effect heat has on...
Curated OER
Exploring the Water Cycle
Students investigate the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, students create an ecosystem within a 2-liter bottle. Students record scientific observations as they observe the water cycle within their ecosystem.
Curated OER
Water Supply
Fourth graders complete three activities. For this water supply lesson, 4th graders learn that water can exist in different forms and watch a demonstration of each form. Students explore the water cycle and make a water cycle using the...
Curated OER
Leaf Stomata as Bioindicators of Environmental Change
High schoolers perform an experiment to determine the stomaltal index on the upper and lower epidermis of two species of leaves. Stomatal densities change in response to changing atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide and to annual rainfall.
Curated OER
Weather, Sea Level Rise and Climate Change Course
Young scholars explain the impact of glacial melting to global climate change. In this environmental science instructional activity, students design an experiment to investigate the effect of salinity change to melting glaciers. They...
Curated OER
Ice or Water?
In this ice and water worksheet, high schoolers read about the energy needed to transform ice to liquid water. Students solve 3 problems where they calculate the energy needed to melt ice given different scenarios in space.
Curated OER
Water Cycle Terrariums
Students explore the water cycle. They build a model of the water cycle in the form of a terrarium and explain how it demonstrates the water cycle. In addition, they draw a representation of the water cycle demonstrated in the terrarium.
Curated OER
Water Cycle (Role of Water)
Second graders explore the role of water as a natural resource in order to conserve and protect its use for future generations.
Curated OER
Non-Compressibility of Water
Students will observe a property of water. In this inquiry-based properties of air lesson, students observe how a change in water pressure impacts the positioning of an eye-dropper in the water container and they make hypotheses about...
Curated OER
Climate Change & Coral Activities
Students study how the ocean stabilizes our planet's climates and how global warming is becoming a threat to this fine balance. In this climate change lesson, students identify that fossil fuel emissions are responsible for...